Manager Ben Greenhalgh says Blues fans can expect new signings before pre-season — possibly as early as next week.
Greenhalgh revealed that discussions with potential recruits have been ongoing for a month but insisted that the club is focused on finding the “right fit.”
“We’ve been speaking to these boys for about a month because we want to make sure they’re the right fit,” he said. “It’s important that after our strong season last year, we add the right type of player.”
Any new arrivals will join a strong core group, with 14 players retained from last season — a campaign in which the Blues narrowly missed out on an immediate return to the Isthmian Premier Division.
“I think keeping those 14 players is one of our biggest achievements. It shows the boys want to be part of this club,” said Greenhalgh. “The players deserve a lot of credit — other teams came in for them. Apart from missing out on promotion, we had a very good season, and that kind of success attracts attention.”
“All of them said they want to finish the job from last season, and that’s really exciting. If they show the same hunger and desire, and we can add a few more faces to the mix, we’ll have a really strong squad again.”
Greenhalgh also praised the continuity for helping build a stronger connection between players and supporters.
“By keeping hold of the boys from last year, it means the fans have a stronger bond with the players on the pitch. That’s something that was missing in the past, but we’re improving it. Retaining players really helps build that connection.”
Now entering his second season as manager — and fifth overall at Hartsdown Park — Greenhalgh says feeling “at home” is important to him.
“It just shows how good this club is that I’m about to enter my fifth season here. This will be Elliot’s fourth, Adam has returned for a second year, and Owen is still with us. That shows the club is doing things right. We want to be part of this journey and build our own legacy at Hartsdown Park.”
He concluded with a message for the fans:
“The players care about the club, and we all want to repay the fans for their tremendous support last season — especially after the two really difficult seasons before that. For them, we want to go one better.”
